Adding to the flock.

[graybeard]

I currently have 6 birds. 2 Roos and 4 pullets. All of them. Are 14.5 weeks old. The 2 boys get along great right now. I'm thinking of adding 3 more girls to the crew who are 12- 16 weeks old. Any advice on the best way to handle it. Best I can tell there really isn't a pecking order right now. Everyone sleeps on the same perch at night. Plenty, I mean plenty of access to food and water. I also have enough pen and coop room for 10 birds max. I only want 9 total for the little extra space. I also have 6 large egg boxes in the coop. They also get to free range 1-2 hours every night, under a watchful eye, due to predators. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Folly's place]

Add as many pullets as you can, so that the cockrels don"t become too much of a problem for them. What breeds? Behavior varies by breed type and individual bird. Those boys aren't maturing yet, see how they behave as the weeks go by. My cockrels are 16 weeks old and are now adolescent monsters! With such a small number of pullets, you may find that one cockrel is plenty. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Add as many pullets as you can, so that the cockrels don"t become too much of a problem for them. What breeds? Behavior varies by breed type and individual bird. Those boys aren't maturing yet, see how they behave as the weeks go by. My cockrels are 16 weeks old and are now adolescent monsters! With such a small number of pullets, you may find that one cockrel is plenty. Mary

 

[graybeard]

Pullers are: 1 Dominique; pretty docile, 1 EE; very docile, 1 BSL; sweet but has her moments, and 1 BSL x American game cross; looks after all the girls very well but doesn't take any junk off anyone.
Roos are: 1 EE; very observant and treats the ladies well and great with my daughter, 1 BSL; I'd like to keep his size to help fend off the hawks, doesn't like to be handled though. I can live with that. I think they have established their pecking order so far. At age 9-10 weeks had a few little battles, but now just a quick stare off then their separate ways.

Possible additions are 1 RSL, 1 RIR, and 1 White Rock.

I plan on building another pen/coop soon. I found a great deal on some Bantam OEG's. 4 hens 1 rooster for $30. I'm knew to chickens, and may be over excited, but I thoroughly enjoy having them around. I have just over an acre and half for them to roam. Plenty of trees for the bantams to hang out in if the big guys get stupid.

 

[graybeard]

 

[Mrs. K]

You are just entering adolescents with the 14 week old chickens. Adolescents can be very hard on flock dynamics, and sometimes roosters change dramatically with the surge of hormones.

I don't think there will be much problem adding those 3 hens, I think that you might have more trouble with your hens and two roos, or your roos and your daughter. You do not say how old your daughter is, but roosters often attack children first.

Mrs K

 

[graybeard]

She is 5. The BSL came at her about 3 weeks ago when she picked up her favorite girl but, she quickly put him in his place. He keeps a safe distance now. I think he figured out she ain't scared of him real quick. We'll see how things pan out. If he's got to go, then he's got to go.

 

[graybeard]

So... I purchased 3 new birds yesterday. All of them are just 13 weeks old and my existing flock are all 15 weeks old today. The new birds seem a little undersized for their age. They did come from a LARGE flock of many different breeds. Most of the adult birds their seemed pretty healthy and of proper size though. My existing flock seems a little nervous of the new comers but 2 in particular are down right mean. #4 & 6 of the pics I posted earlier in the thread are the culprits. I have put them in an oversized dog kennel inside the pen to keep them together and get used to each other. I bought a RSL, RIR, and a White Rock. I wanted to add a few new colors to the flock. I hope they get the mean streak out of them soon. I'm gonna keep them separated the rest of the week and then try a free range experiment this weekend. I gotta give it to the little WR, she didn't hesitate to jump right on the top roost on the first night.